The invention relates to a luminous wire rope which provides improved visibility for safety or aesthetic purposes.
Ropes and, in particular, wire ropes are used in various applications in the form of braided or spiral ropes. Braided ropes are used as conveyor and towing ropes for railroads, as crane and elevator ropes and for other purposes. They are also used as winch ropes for winches, for example for piste vehicles, helicopters, ships, cross-country vehicles and the like.
Braided ropes are composed of braids which are laid in a helical shape around an insert (core), and which are themselves formed by wires. Spiral ropes are used in various embodiments (open, half-closed or fully closed) as supporting, guidance, tensioning or terminal ropes for cable cars, in cable works, in architectural cables and for other purposes. Spiral ropes are composed of wires which are twisted together in a helical shape and laid around an insert, generally a core wire (core). Wire ropes composed of drawn steel wires are of major importance owing to their high load strength with comparatively small cross sections. A wire rope of this type is disclosed, for example, in the document EP-A-685592.
Ropes have the disadvantage that they are difficult to see against a terrain background which can lead to accidents if they are not adequately marked.
A light-emitting rope is known, for example, from the document JP-A-1200388. A luminous effect is accordingly produced by a light-emitting area with phosphorescent pigments and with a further light-emitting area with a reflective structure, at least on the outer surface of the main body of the rope.
A rope which is used as a holding rope and pulling rope and having a light function is known, for example, from the document CH-A-674967. In this case, reflective or self-luminous substances are incorporated in the fibers of the rope by means of a finishing process.
The present invention is in contrast based on the object of providing a rope which avoids the necessity for separate marking or for providing a light in the vicinity, at least at times, during its use.